Seeing Red
by isnjx656
Summary: My attempt at showing Kennedy's thoughts about Willow killing Warren and how she sees Willow because of it.


Hey, I've never posted a story here before so let me know if you think thisfic is okay and if there's any way I can improve.

**Summary:** I didn't think season 7 really showed Kennedy's thoughts on Willow killing Warren so this is my attempt at showing how she sees Willow because of it.

_Seeing Red_

Faint sounds of snoring could be heard coming from the living room floor, which was currently occupied by several new potentials at the Summers' residence. It was early in the morning and the sun had yet to come up, leaving the worn out house encased in shadow as every one of its inhabitants slept soundly. Everyone except Willow.

The redhead padded softly down the hallway, her bare feet hitting the cool tile of the kitchen floor after descending down the stairs. Sleep had become a thing of the past for the young witch; something she took for granted back when her life retained some semblance of familiarity. Now she sat alone at the island in the middle of the kitchen, waiting for a pot of coffee to finish as she soaked in the quiet, almost lonely atmosphere.

The last couple of weeks had been fairly eventful with the arrival of six new potential slayers on top of the three that were already staying with them. She thought briefly of one girl in particular who, even though she would never admit it aloud, had caught her attention. Kennedy. The brunette wasted no time in thoroughly confusing Willow from the moment she had arrived, making her think twice about every light touch, every intense look focused in her direction. The slayer-to-be had even taken control of the sleeping arrangements, maneuvering her way into Willow's bed the first night. It was the girl's forward nature, for the most part, that made the redhead nervous. Why was she so insistent on bringing her into the spotlight? All Willow wanted was to be left alone. To blend into the background so that no one would see her. Kennedy wasn't making this an easy task for the shy witch.

Upon hearing a quiet knock on the frame of the kitchen door, Willow looked up to see the subject of her thoughts smiling sleepily at her. "Hey", the brunette said softly as she sat down across from Willow.

Willow got up, seeing the coffee pot had filled, and proceeded to pour some into a thick, ceramic mug. "Do you want any?"

"Yeah, thanks", Kennedy said before Willow returned to sit, offering a cup to the potential after she placed her own mug in front of her. "So… you can't sleep either?" The brunette asked, watching as Willow slowly stirred the hot mug in front of her with a spoon.

"No. I'm used to it though." She took a small sip of the hot liquid in front of her, still waiting for it to cool down somewhat. "It gives me time to think."

The slayer paused for a moment before casually asking, "So, what are you thinking about?"

"Just… things. Nothing interesting." Willow wanted desperately to look away from the searching brown eyes in front of her but couldn't tear her gaze from them for some unknown reason.

Kennedy kept eye contact with the redhead, watching her intently as if wondering how she could possibly think anything she thought could be boring. "I think everything you say is interesting. So, based on that I can safely assume everything you think is interesting", she stated matter-of-factly. The potential broke eye contact, focusing on some fixed point in the room for a moment, before returning her gaze to Willow. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I guess I just want to get to know you better. I like you, you know… a lot."

Willow seemed thoroughly taken aback by the admission…not to mention slightly mortified. The brunette had gone from almost playful, to a state of sheer vulnerability in a matter of seconds. She sat quietly, her mouth agape as she tried to think of something- anything to say. "You shouldn't." That simple statement was like a reflex. It was her first initial reaction and all she could think of at the moment. It also held more truth than most people would care to admit, but she herself had spent more time than anyone learning to accept it as a fact. She wasn't the same good, careful girl she had once been, and Kennedy really would be better off staying away from her. The weight of her baggage alone could very well crush the hopeful potential where she stood if Willow let it- if she let her in after everything… after Tara.

If the redhead's reaction had surprised Kennedy in any way she didn't show it. "Maybe I shouldn't", the brunette declared evenly, "but I'm not too concerned about what I should or shouldn't do at this point, and"-

"I killed a man", Willow interrupted. "I chased him into the woods and I tortured him and I killed him. Still want me to keep going? Is this the kind of person you wanna get to know? Because it's who I am."

Kennedy remained silent for a long while, neither girl really keeping track of time before, at last, she spoke. "No. That's not the kind of person I want to know. But it's not who you are either." Seeing Willow open her mouth to protest, Kennedy stopped her before continuing. "Wait- just lemme finish please. I've heard some things about what happened, to be honest. What that guy did to you was beyond horrible and so was what you did to him, but… I don't see a killer sitting in front of me. I see Willow… I see _you_. What happened isn't gonna go away; it's a part of you, but it's not all of you."

Willow looked at the girl in front of her, her defenses stripped away completely as she contemplated the possibility of truth behind the brunette's words. "I wish I could see myself the way you do." Willow was nearly in tears as she looked at the potential, who stood up, wrapping the redhead in a tight embrace.

"I hope you do someday because you have a pretty amazing self", she said over Willow's shoulder as the redhead held onto her for dear life.

In that moment the brunette had scratched the surface of something deep within the witch. Like a true slayer would, she fought through the countless barriers stopping her to see what was really there. _Maybe there really would be hope for Willow and Kennedy in the end_.


End file.
